Earth Overshoot Day

Today is Earth Overshoot Day. This is the day in the year when human demand for natural resources and services exceeds what the planet can regenerate in that year. So for the rest of the year, we are effectively overshooting our natural support systems. Earth Overshoot Day has fallen earlier and earlier in the year over the past 50 years, as the world's population increases, and we consume more and more.

Every year, Earth Overshoot Day is hosted and calculated by Global Footprint Network. This international research organization provides decision-makers with tools that are designed to help us to operate within Earth’s ecological limits.

Find out more about Earth Overshoot Day. 

There are many existing technologies and ideas that could help us to turn things around. You can read about a large selection of these approaches here. 

One way of reducing the amount of raw materials we use is to make our economy more circular, with repairable products designed to last as long as possible, made of materials that can be safely reused or recycled. The Scottish Government is currently looking into how to develop a circular economy in this country. You can find out more about these plans here, and if you are in Scotland, you're invited to respond to the Scottish Government's consultation.